What is a Beetle Box
Electricians, entertainment contractors and people involved in mobile music venues have all used spider boxes at one time or another. Spider box, being the generic name of a small portable electrical distribution box, gets its name from the legs coming down from the main body of the enclosure, giving it the appearance of a spider. So what is a Beetle Box, and how does it differ from a spider box and how did it get its name?
The Beetle Box, unlike the traditional spider box has an enclosure made entirely of rubber. Rubber is a very poor conductor of electricity which makes the Beetle Box a safer alternative to an enclosure made of steel or aluminum. The legs of the Beetle Box come straight down from the enclosure, and it has a squarer body than a spider box. When she first saw the design, the owner of Power Assemblies, Patricia Knowles, commented it looked more like a beetle than a spider, thus the name Beetle Box!
Purpose of a Beetle Box
The Beetle Box accepts incoming power through a 50A twistlock receptacle or series 16 camlock connectors that are typically fed from a portable generator. The receptacle is wired to several circuit breakers that feed receptacles that are either 20A or 30A. These receptacles are the same type found in the walls and garages of homes, and can be used to power tools, equipment, lights, air pumps for jumpy castles, speakers, etc. Unlike a traditional spider box, the Beetle Box is stackable which saves room and reduces a possible tripping hazard.
Rubber Enclosures are More Durable and Safer than Metal
As stated earlier, the Beetle Box is made of rubber instead of steel or aluminum. Since the vast majority of applications involved placing the unit outside, it is much safer to have a non-conductive enclosure housing the electrical components. As we all know metal conducts electricity very well, and any stray current or a short circuit could energize a metal enclosure and deliver a nasty shock to the handler. Rubber is also more durable than metal, and the Beetle Box has shown to last longer in the harsh and rough conditions found on construction sites.
The Beetle Box is manufactured exclusively by Power Assemblies and is sold by distributors throughout the country. If you would like more information on the product, please visit the
Beetle Box product page.
